He is Greater!

[Jethro said], “Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”

Exodus 18:11

Imagine the family reunion. After a time of separation, Moses’ father-in-law Jethro traveled through the desert and brought Moses his wife Zipporah and his sons Gershom and Eliezer. What joy to be together again! Surely the neighbors heard the laughter and chatter through the tent walls!

Moses filled them in on all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. He spoke of God’s active, vigilant care in the Passover celebration and the crossing of the Red Sea. He may have even taught them the song of victory and celebration that they sang after everyone was safely on the other side. He marveled at the invisible God making Himself visible with the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. He told of deliverance in the midst of difficulties, and how God fought for them. Even the names of his children articulated God’s greatness. Eliezer’s name means, “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh” (Exodus 18:4).

Moses recounted what God was doing in his life and it had a profound impact on those who listened. Jethro, who was family and the priest of Midian, responded with great delight and faith. He said, “Praise be to the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly” (Exodus 18:10-11).

Think about your most recent conversations with family, friends, co-workers, or neighbors. How did our words influence others? Did they display or diminish God’s greatness? 

Worry and anxiety tells others that God is not big enough to handle today’s troubles. Control issues demonstrate that surrendering to God is too risky. Living overwhelmed by life tells others that our great God really isn’t that big.

To influence others with the truth of God’s greatness, we must speak and live it! Walking humbly with God reveals our dependence on Him in all things. Speaking of His sovereign care and sufficiency confirms our absolute trust in His ways and plans, and radical obedience shows others that He is our first and greatest love.

HE>i: Over the last 24 hours how have our conversations influenced others to think about God?

And it is like that, the way the sand moves, every word moving either one way or the other-words raising Christ or building self higher. Words praising Him or wrangling to be praised ourselves.

Ann Voskamp

grace and peace,

Lenae